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Friday, November 30, 2012

I can't believe tomorrow is December 1st already. Christmas is literally right around the corner. I figure now is a good time to start making Christmas Cookies. I love this recipe because it is so simple and it's a great one for kids too.

Prepare cookie dough according to your recipe. Stir in half of the candy cane mixture.

Grease 12 muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray or you can use cupcake liners. Place a spoonful of dough in each muffin well and use your fingers to spread the dough up the sides of the well.

Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until golden brown. I took the cookie cups out half way through and used a spoon to push down the centers of the cookies a bit and did this again when the cookies were done.Remove the cookies from the pan using the edge of a butter knife.

I can't believe tomorrow is December 1st already. Christmas is literally right around the corner. I figure now is a good time to start making Christmas Cookies. I love this recipe because it is so simple and it's a great one for kids too.

Prepare cookie dough according to your recipe. Stir in half of the candy cane mixture.

Grease 12 muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray or you can use cupcake liners. Place a spoonful of dough in each muffin well and use your fingers to spread the dough up the sides of the well.

Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until golden brown. I took the cookie cups out half way through and used a spoon to push down the centers of the cookies a bit and did this again when the cookies were done.
Remove the cookies from the pan using the edge of a butter knife.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Yes, I'm grilling. In November. I just made soup yesterday and today I'm breaking out the grill. A little cray cray but after finding this yummy lemon pasta dish I decided that I had to make it for dinner. Winter or not and I'm so glad I made it. This was incredible!

Grill chicken over medium high heat for about 10-12 minutes or until juices run clear.
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan combine cream cheese, garlic powder and cream. Add in lemon juice.When mixture starts to simmer whisk in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Toss together with the cooked pasta. Top with sliced chicken and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

I hate cold weather. Living in Chicago in the winter can be brutal. (Most of the time, anyway) I like the first snowfall of the season and that's it. The cold winters have made soup very popular in my house. I especially love making soup in the crock pot. Today's recipe I found on Pinterest. French Onion Soup is one of my favorites. The ooey gooey cheese and the nice crusty pieces of french bread is what really makes it! I see myself making this soup a lot this winter!

In a lined slow cooker, mix onions and butter.Cover and cook on high heat setting 30 to 35 minutes or until onions begin to slightly brown around edges.Mix together flour, worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Stir flour mixture and broth into onions. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 9 hours (or high heat setting 3 to 4 hours) or until onions are very tender.Ladel soup into oven proof bowls. Place 1 slice of bread on top of each bowl of soup. Top with 1/8 cup of mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan. Broil on high 2-3 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

I hate cold weather. Living in Chicago in the winter can be brutal. (Most of the time, anyway) I like the first snowfall of the season and that's it. The cold winters have made soup very popular in my house. I especially love making soup in the crock pot. Today's recipe I found on Pinterest. French Onion Soup is one of my favorites. The ooey gooey cheese and the nice crusty pieces of french bread is what really makes it! I see myself making this soup a lot this winter!

In a lined slow cooker, mix onions and butter.
Cover and cook on high heat setting 30 to 35 minutes or until onions begin to slightly brown around edges.
Mix together flour, worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Stir flour mixture and broth into onions. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 9 hours (or high heat setting 3 to 4 hours) or until onions are very tender.
Ladel soup into oven proof bowls. Place 1 slice of bread on top of each bowl of soup. Top with 1/8 cup of mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan. Broil on high 2-3 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

I know I've mentioned this before but I love love love wonton wrappers! I've made so many fun meals with them. The possibilities are endless when it comes to wonton recipes. These mini taco salads were a great change from regular old taco salad. My husband and I both like different toppings on tacos so it was nice to be able to customize our own. They would make a great appetizer too!

Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees
Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Push two wonton wrappers into the bottom of each of the 12 sprayed muffin cups.
Bake wonton shells for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

While the wonton's are baking cook your ground beef/turkey add the seasoning mix and set aside. Assemble as you would a normal taco salad. Adding your lettuce, ground beef, cheese, tomatoes and whatever additional toppings of your choosing. Drizzle the top of each salad with the salsa dressing. Enjoy!

I made a simple salsa dressing by combining the salsa and sour cream together and drizzled it on top of each mini taco bowl. Enjoy!

Monday, November 26, 2012

I'm always looking for new ways to prepare chicken. I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of making this a long time ago. I was clearly missing out! Both my husband and I love coconut shrimp and this was just as good if not better! It is also weight watcher friendly. I served it with a spicy citrus dipping sauce consisting of a few ingredients that I had on hand. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Sprinkle the chicken with salt & pepper. Mix the breadcrumbs and coconut together. Roll the chicken in the coconut mixture.
Place your chicken in a lightly sprayed baking pan and drizzle it with the butter.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Lasagna is one of my favorite cold weather comfort foods and today is a perfect day to make it. This lightened up version uses turkey pepperoni and reduced fat mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. Pair it with a nice tossed salad and you have a perfect Sunday dinner!Pepperoni and Portabella Mushroom Lasagna
Serves 8
WW PP Per Serving=6
Cal 247, Fat7g , Carbs 25, Fiber 1.8g, Protein 17g

Pre-Heat Oven to 375
Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread a small amount of pasta sauce on bottom of dish. Set aside. In a small bowl mix together ricotta, one cup of the mozzarella, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Add lasagna noodles to casserole dish and spread cheese mixture over noodles. Add sauce followed by the pepperoni and mushrooms. Repeat 2 more times. Finish with remaining cup of mozzarella. Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes uncovered or until noodles are soft and cheese is browned and bubbly. Serve with additional sauce if desired. Enjoy!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

One of the great things about pizza is how versatile it is. I always love creating new pizzas that I've never had before. Tonight's pizza was created with a white sauce along with white cheddar, chicken, and spinach. It was a hit!

Pre-Heat oven to 450.
In a small bowl mix together garlic, white sauce, and spinach. Spread spinach mixture over pizza and top with chicken and cheese. Cook pizza 10-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Enjoy!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Happy day after Thanksgiving! I hope everyone enjoyed the day with family and friends. Today I actually braved the mall. It wasn't too bad. I've experienced much worse over the years. After a day of shopping I decided I had burned enough calories to make this delicious enchilada recipe!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, soften cream cheese with an electric mixer. Blend in sour cream and dry seasonings. Stir in green chilies, half cup of cheddar cheese, and chicken. Set aside. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Place about a 1/3 cup filling in each tortilla and roll up. Place in baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and pour sauce over enchiladas. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and heated throughout. Enjoy!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Those that regularly follow my blog already know that I love most spicy foods. These Jalapeno Pulled Pork Tacos top the list! I slow cooked a boneless pork roast and added chopped Jalapenos along with Lime and a few other seasonings. The pork was so tender and the jalapeno lime combination was fabulous. I served mine with a side of black beans. I'll definitley be making these tacos again soon!

Monday, November 19, 2012

I am always looking for new ways to prepare Chicken. Recently I found a few garlic chicken recipes floating around Pinterest. I decided to make mine in my new crock pot that I got for my birthday. Even though I just got it yesterday, I couldn't wait to test it out. The chicken was wonderful and my new crock pot cooked it to perfection!

Lightly coat the inside of your slow cooker with non stick cooking spray. Add chicken. In a separate bowl mix together dry spices and sprinkle evenly over the chicken. In another bowl mix honey, chipotle peppers, and vinegar. Whisk until well blended and pour over chicken. Cook on low 4 hours. Serve over hot cooked rice or noodles. Enjoy!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

On my never ending quest to find the perfect Buffalo Style recipe these shrimp tacos top the list! Simple to prepare, they are full of flavor and so delicious! I topped mine with a ranch sour cream and blue cheese crumbles. Although they would be great with just about any topping. I can't wait to make them again!

Mix Old Bay, chili powder, and garlic powder together. Season shrimp with mixture.
Place a tbsp of olive oil in a pan and allow to warm. Add shrimp to the pan. Cook until shrimp curl up and get pink. This will take about 1-2 minutes per side for the shrimp to get cooked.
Remove shrimp from pan and toss in buffalo sauce. Add to tortillas with toppings and enjoy!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

One of the perks of being a Foodie Blog Roll member is the opportunity to participate in various promotions. This month I am participating in a Mrs Cubbisons Stuffing Promotion. I was asked to provide a favorite stuffing recipe. Did you know that according to the Thanksgiving Across America” Survey, stuffing is a family tradition? Listed below are a few fun facts.

When asked which Thanksgiving dishes are handed down from previous family generations, the "stuffing" was by far the most important traditional family recipe. When it comes to stuffing ingredients, over 80% said celery and onions topped the list. People in the Northeast and West are more likely to add more "stuff" like carrots and sausage. Around 70% of people in the South and 60% of people in the Northeast said they like to cook stuffing in a casserole dish in the oven, while around 58% of people in the West and 45% of people in the Midwest said they prefer to cook it in the bird.

Stuffing or Dressing? That depends on where you live. Southerners say "dressing" while people in the East, Midwest and West say "stuffing." I've always been a stuffing person myself. When someone says dressing I think of something that goes over lettuce!

My dinner tonight consists of a favorite cornbread stuffing recipe of mine that is topped with a smokey bbq pork tenderloin and cooked in muffin tins. A fun idea that would make a great meal or appetizer!

Lightly spray 12 muffin tins. Prepare stuffing as directed on package. Spoon stuffing into each tin. Top with some of the cheese and then bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add bbq sauce and then top with some of the cooked sliced pork. Enjoy!

One of the perks of being a Foodie Blog Roll member is the opportunity to participate in various promotions. This month I am participating in a Mrs Cubbisons Stuffing Promotion. I was asked to provide a favorite stuffing recipe.
Did you know that according to the Thanksgiving Across America” Survey, stuffing is a family tradition? Listed below are a few fun facts.

When asked which Thanksgiving dishes are handed down from previous family generations, the "stuffing" was by far the most important traditional family recipe. When it comes to stuffing ingredients, over 80% said celery and onions topped the list. People in the Northeast and West are more likely to add more "stuff" like carrots and sausage. Around 70% of people in the South and 60% of people in the Northeast said they like to cook stuffing in a casserole dish in the oven, while around 58% of people in the West and 45% of people in the Midwest said they prefer to cook it in the bird.

Stuffing or Dressing? That depends on where you live. Southerners say "dressing" while people in the East, Midwest and West say "stuffing." I've always been a stuffing person myself. When someone says dressing I think of something that goes over lettuce!

My dinner tonight consists of a favorite cornbread stuffing recipe of mine that is topped with a smokey bbq pork tenderloin and cooked in muffin tins. A fun idea that would make a great meal or appetizer!

Lightly spray 12 muffin tins. Prepare stuffing as directed on package. Spoon stuffing into each tin. Top with some of the cheese and then bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add bbq sauce and then top with some of the cooked sliced pork. Enjoy!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

There is something so comforting about a hearty bowl of piping hot soup. Especially on a cold day like today. Winter is definitely on it's way around here. We are in the middle of a cold snap. It was 70 on Sunday and then yesterday it was snowing. That's Chicago weather for ya! I was really excited to make this classic Italian soup. It's healthy yet hearty and full of flavor! I served it alongside crusty french rolls for dipping. It was fantastic!

Add beans, veggies, garlic, tomatoes, water, and stock to slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and bay leaves. Cook on low for 6 hours. Add pasta and cook an additional 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of grated cheese. Enjoy with a salad of crusty bread for dipping. Enjoy!

Monday, November 12, 2012

I think wonton wrappers are a dieting girls best friend. One of the many reasons why I have been making so many meals using them. I love how versatile they are and I find that they are also great for portion control. Today's meal is based on my love for bbq chicken. I chopped up some chicken breast and tossed with bbq sauce. I also wanted to add a little something to it so I added in cheddar cheese and bacon. The end result was fantastic!

Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of 12
sprayed muffin cups. Using about half of the chicken mixture, spoon evenly into
the wonton wrappers. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top
and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Jalapeno Poppers are one of my favorite appetizers. I love the cheesy/spicy combination. I've been seeing a lot of Jalapeno dip recipes and it got me thinking.... why not try a Jalapeno Popper Chicken Enchilada dish? I'm always looking for new recipe ideas and I figured this would be a great one. Let me tell you, this dish was fantastic! Not the most diet friendly recipe, but I did try to lighten it up by using reduced fat cheeses. The end result was fantastic!

Lightly spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread two tablespoons of salsa on bottom of dish

In a mixing bowl add chicken, spices, cream cheese, 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese, bacon, and jalapeno. Stir well to combine. Divide filling evenly between tortillas and roll up. Place seam side down in casserole dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese and enchilada sauce.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Enjoy!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

A few months ago I had thought about making slow cooker orange chicken. I decided against it after reading many mixed reviews about the chicken being too sweet. I didn't want to make anything over powering so I decided against making it. Fast forward to this week. I was going to make one of our favorites, sesame chicken and since I've been in a bit of a dinner rut lately I wanted to mix it up a little and that is when I decided on Sesame Orange Chicken. The sesame oil and soy sauce really went well with the orange juice and it made the perfect flavor combination. The end result was fabulous!

Place chicken in slow cooker. In a mixing bowl add all ingredients except cornstarch and sesame seeds. Whisk until well blended and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and add cornstarch to the sauce. Whisk and place chicken back in slow cooker and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes. Remove chicken cut into chunks and serve over hot cooked rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Lately, I've been finding myself in a bit of a dinner rut. Maybe it's because I'm dieting or because I have yet to go grocery shopping this week. This morning I decided to clean through my pantry and see what new recipe I could create using the ingredients I had on hand. I don't know why I never thought to make these Chicken Parmesan Cups before. They were packed with flavor and also diet and portion control friendly! My toddler loved them too!

Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the 12 sprayed muffin cups. Using about half of the chicken mixture, spoon evenly into the wonton wrappers. Follow by spooning some of the marinara sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Lightly coat a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta following package directions; drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan or skillet, cook the andouille sausage with onion until the onions are translucent. Transfer the sausage mixture to a plate and set aside.
Add the milk, chicken broth, and rotel. Bring to a simmer and then add cornstarch. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add half of the cheese and stir until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the drained pasta and sausage mixture. Spoon into the prepared casserole. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is browned and casserole is bubbly. Enjoy!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

There is something about cold weather, football, Sundays and making Chili. It is one of my favorite cold weather foods and today was a perfect day to make it! I love this Chili recipe and was able to shave a number of fat and calories off it by using lean ground turkey instead of ground beef. It was delicious!Crock Pot Jalapeno Ranch Turkey ChiliServes 5WW PP=5Cal 218, Carbs 10.5g, Fat 8.1g, Fiber 1g, Protein 23g

In a skillet over medium heat, brown turkey with onion and garlic. Add pepper and cook until slightly soft. Transfer to the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Add toppings of your choice. (We used light sour cream and reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese) Enjoy!

There is something about cold weather, football, Sundays and making Chili. It is one of my favorite cold weather foods and today was a perfect day to make it! I love this Chili recipe and was able to shave a number of fat and calories off it by using lean ground turkey instead of ground beef. It was delicious!Crock Pot Jalapeno Ranch Turkey Chili
Serves 5
WW PP=5
Cal 218, Carbs 10.5g, Fat 8.1g, Fiber 1g, Protein 23g

In a skillet over medium heat, brown turkey with onion and garlic. Add pepper and cook until slightly soft. Transfer to the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Add toppings of your choice. (We used light sour cream and reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese) Enjoy!

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